Buy me a coffeeAbaia, Warden of the Depths
“Discover the Legendary Abaia: The Giant Eel Said to Guard Treasures and Exact Deadly Revenge!”
The Abaia are mythological creatures from Melanesian folklore, often depicted as colossal eels with a menacing presence.
Appearance: The Abaia are said to be enormous eels, sometimes described as having a length that rivals that of a small boat. Their bodies are covered in slick, dark scales that shimmer ominously beneath the water’s surface. The creatures’ eyes are often portrayed as glowing with an eerie, otherworldly light, and their mouths are filled with sharp, needle-like teeth that can easily tear through flesh.
Behavior: The Abaia are fiercely protective and territorial, particularly over their freshwater domains. They are believed to harbor a deep sense of guardianship over the waters they inhabit, viewing the creatures and plants within their realms as their own offspring. This protective nature extends to a vengeful streak; the Abaia are known to exact deadly retribution on those who harm their domains.
Habitat: They are said to reside in deep freshwater lakes and large, undisturbed ponds in the Melanesian region. These bodies of water are typically remote and surrounded by dense vegetation, making them both enchanting and foreboding. The depths of these waters are often murky and impenetrable, adding to the mystique of the Abaia’s abodes.
Modus Operandi: When angered or sensing danger to their domains, theyunleash their wrath by creating massive waves and violent whirlpools, often leading to the drowning of intruders. They can also summon thunderstorms and heavy rains, flooding the area and ensuring the demise of those who threaten their waters. Legends tell of their ability to manipulate water with such force that it becomes a lethal weapon.
Motivation: The primary motivation of the Abaia is the protection of their homes and the life forms within them. Their actions are driven by a deep-seated sense of guardianship and vengeance against those who would dare to harm their sacred waters. This motivation makes the Abaia both protectors and avengers, embodying the delicate balance of nature and the consequences of disrupting it.
Abaia 5e
Abaia Pathfinder
ABAIA
Gargantuan monstrosity, neutral
Armor Class 18 (natural armor)
Hit Points 310 (23d12 + 161)
Speed 10 ft., swim 60 ft.
| STR | DEX | CON | INT | WIS | CHA |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 24 (+7) | 12 (+1) | 24 (+7) | 14 (+2) | 18 (+4) | 10 (+0) |
Saving Throws Con +13, Wis +10
Skills Perception +16, Stealth +7
Damage Resistances cold; bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing from nonmagical attacks
Damage Immunities lightning
Senses darkvision 120 ft., passive Perception 26
Languages Aquan, understands Common but can’t speak
Challenge 21 (33,000 XP)
Amphibious. It can breathe air and water.
Legendary Resistance (3/Day). If it fails a saving throw, it can choose to succeed instead.
Magic Resistance. It has advantage on saving throws against spells and other magical effects.
Magic Attacks. The Abaia’s attacks are considered magical.
Water Mastery. While in water, the Abaia has advantage on attack rolls and Strength (Athletics) checks.
Innate Spellcasting
It’s innate spellcasting ability is Wisdom (spell save DC 18, +10 to hit with spell attacks). It can innately cast the following spells, requiring no material components:
- At will: control water, fog cloud
- 3/day each: lightning bolt, greater invisibility (usable only in water)
- 1/day each: chain lightning, tsunami, call lightning (also usable through the Summon Storm action)
Actions
Multiattack. The Abaia makes three attacks: one with its bite and two with its tail.
Bite. Melee Weapon Attack: +13 to hit, reach 10 ft., one target. Hit: 26 (4d8 + 7) piercing damage.
Tail. Melee Weapon Attack: +13 to hit, reach 15 ft., one target. Hit: 18 (3d6 + 7) bludgeoning damage. The target must succeed on a DC 21 Strength saving throw or be knocked prone.
Water Jet (Recharge 5-6). The Abaia exhales a powerful jet of water in a 60-foot line that is 10 feet wide. Each creature in that line must make a DC 21 Dexterity saving throw, taking 45 (10d8) bludgeoning damage on a failed save, or half as much damage on a successful one. Additionally, a creature that fails the save is pushed 20 feet away from the Abaia and knocked prone.
Summon Storm (1/Day). It can magically summon a storm that lasts for 1 hour. The storm is centered on the Abaia and creates the effects of the control weather spell, but only within a 1-mile radius. During this time, the Abaia can use an action to call down lightning (as per the call lightning spell) without expending a spell slot.
Swallow. The Abaia makes one bite attack against a Large or smaller creature it is grappling. If the attack hits, the target is swallowed, and the grapple ends. The swallowed creature is blinded and restrained, it has total cover against attacks and other effects outside the Abaia, and it takes 21 (6d6) acid damage at the start of each of the Abaia’s turns.
If the Abaia takes 40 damage or more on a single turn from a creature inside it, the Abaia must succeed on a DC 20 Constitution saving throw at the end of that turn or regurgitate the swallowed creature, which falls prone in a space within 10 feet of the Abaia. If the Abaia dies, a swallowed creature is no longer restrained by it and can escape from the corpse using 15 feet of movement, exiting prone.
Legendary Actions
Itcan take 3 legendary actions, choosing from the options below. Only one legendary action option can be used at a time and only at the end of another creature’s turn. The Abaia regains spent legendary actions at the start of its turn.
- Detect. It makes a Wisdom (Perception) check.
- Tail Attack. It makes a tail attack.
- Water Surge (Costs 2 Actions). The Abaia causes a surge of water to erupt around it in a 20-foot radius. Each creature in that area must succeed on a DC 21 Strength saving throw or be knocked prone and take 14 (4d6) bludgeoning damage.
Tactics
The Abaia is a powerful, cunning guardian, preferring to fight in or near water to maximize its natural advantages. It begins combat with Fog Cloud to obscure its position and may cast Greater Invisibility while underwater to attack with surprise. In the early phases of combat, it uses Water Jet and Water Surge to scatter foes, keeping them off balance.
Once the storm is summoned with Summon Storm, the Abaia will utilize Chain Lightning, Lightning Bolt, and Call Lightning to strike down groups of enemies, while it uses its physical attacks, such as Bite and Tail, to further control the battlefield. If isolated, it will use Swallow to take out smaller foes, relying on its legendary actions to maintain battlefield control and wear down enemies. If threatened or losing ground, the Abaia can retreat into deeper waters, using its Water Mastery and swim speed to evade or reposition for a devastating counterattack.
This multi-eyed eel’s brightly colored markings shift in complex, ever-changing patterns.
Source Bestiary 4 pg. 7
Originally posted in Archives of Nethys
Originally from the primal world of the fey, an abaia protects lakes and their surroundings from exploitation, in particular by magic and overfishing. It favors waters with a mystical nature or supernatural properties. They ignore creatures that take only what they need from the lake and otherwise show proper respect to the waters. Those that abuse an abaia’s lake risk capsized boats, floods, torrential rains, and even direct attacks. After sinking a vessel, it searches the wreckage for magical treasure.
| Abaia CR 10 |
| XP 9,600 N Huge magical beast (aquatic) Init +3; Senses arcane sight, Darkvision 60 ft., Low-Light Vision; Perception +19 |
| DEFENSE |
| AC 25, touch 11, flat-footed 22 (+3 Dexterity, +14 natural, 2 size) hp 147 (14d10+70) Fort +14, Ref +12, Will +8 SR 21 (in water only) |
| OFFENSE |
| Speed 20 ft., Swim 80 ft. Melee bite +21 (3d6+8/19-20 plus grab), tail slap +15 (2d6+4 plus grab) Space 15 ft., Reach 15 ft. Special Attacks constrict (2d6+12), endless coils Spell-Like Abilities (CL 14th; concentration +17) Constant – arcane sight, speak with animals At will – control water, hydraulic torrent, rainbow pattern (DC 17) 1/day – control weather |
| STATISTICS |
| Strength 26, Dexterity 16, Constitution 21, Intelligence 17, Wisdom 14, Charisma 17 Base Atk +14; CMB +24 (+28 grapple); CMD 37 (can’t be tripped) Feats Critical Focus, Improved Critical (bite), Iron Will, Power Attack, Staggering Critical, Vital Strike, Weapon Focus (bite) Skills Knowledge (arcana) +17, Knowledge (nature) +17, Perception +19, Spellcraft +17, Stealth +12 (+24 in water), Swim +16; Racial Modifiers +12 Stealth in water Languages Aquan, Sylvan; speak with animals SQ eldritch gizzard, wave rider |
| SPECIAL ABILITIES |
| Eldritch Gizzard (Su) An abaia can activate arcane spell trigger items as if it were a 14th-level sorcerer. It can store items in a special compartment within its stomach and activate them as if it were holding them. It can swallow or regurgitate an item as a standard action. Endless Coils (Ex) As a full-round action, an abaia can attempt a single combat maneuver check to grapple up to two Large or four Medium or smaller creatures within its reach. Any targets successfully grabbed take constrict damage. The abaia only needs to succeed at one grapple check to maintain a grapple against multiple opponents. Wave Rider (Su) An abaia moving onto land brings a sheath of water with it, allowing it to Swim on land. Its Swim speed drops by 10 feet at the start of its turn if it is out of the water, and the sheath dissipates entirely when the abaias Swim speed reaches 20 feet. An abaia wave riding on land retains its Spell Resistance but loses its bonus to Stealth. |
| ECOLOGY |
| Environment warm lakes Organization solitary Treasure standard (particularly staves and wands) |